“This.” She waved her hand in the narrow space between them. “This. This. This. You. Me. I don’t know what is happening. I’m not a poet. I don’t have the best words. I just can’t deny that when you look at me, I feel... more me. The most me. I don’t just just like you either. It’s more than that.”
“Those sound like pretty good words from where I sit.”
“But can’t you see? You’ve been waiting a long time for someone special. And I haven’t.” Her chin raised an inch. “And I won’t apologize for having more experience.”
“Don’t see anyone asking you to.”
“I don’t have the best track record with relationships.” Her words picked up speed. She spoke faster and faster. “I can teach yoga. I have friendships. But when it comes to guys, and dating, I’m no expert. Far from it.”
“Stop. Stop right there.”
“I’m sorry.” She rose in a rush, knocking her bar stool over. “There is absolutely such a thing as too much honesty. You are dealing with your own baggage. You don’t need me here adding to it.”
On the rink, he might have lightning-fast reflexes. But here, with this woman, he was stuck in slow motion. He reached, but she’d already moved away, evading his grasp.
“I’m being stupid, and that’s not my intention. I don’t want to make this more dramatic than it has to be,” she said, backing toward the kitchen exit. “I abso-frigging-lutely acknowledge that I am, in fact, wearing a drama queen crown. What we need is headspace. Tomorrow you’re travelling for your first game. I want you to focus on that.”
“Here’s a fun fact. I’m able to think of more than one thing at once. It’s sort of my job.”
“And you’re good at your job.” She pursed her lips, appearing to swallow a smile as she stuck on her pink pussycat hat and shrugged into her jacket. “Really good, Patrick. And you could be even better.”
“Now you’re the one saying my name in a sentence.”
“Because I mean business.”
She stood on tiptoe, clutching the front of his t-shirt, and kissed him full on the mouth. Their ragged breaths mingled a moment. He tasted the brown sugar in her lip gloss before she broke free, pressing a quick second kiss to the tip of his nose.
“Go to bed,” she whispered, clearing her throat and stepping back. “And win tomorrow.”
It took every last shred of Patch’s willpower not to close the space again, to consume her. “There’s something you should know.”
“Shoot.”
“I’m not going to get a lick of sleep if you leave.”
“If I stay, you won’t sleep either,” she shot back.
“I’ll take those odds.”
She shook her head slowly as if with reluctance. “Goodnight.”
He took her hand and held it between his own. Her skin was cooler than his. He didn’t like that. He wanted to tuck her against him, warm her up. “Do me a favor and call when you get home. I want to know you got back safe, especially driving on that spare.”
“It’s been a long time since anyone has cared if I got home,” she said with a smile. “Careful, you might be turning into a gentleman.”
“The things that I want to do to you are far from gentlemanly,” he said in a husky tone.
She rocked her head back and unleashed a frustrated moan. “Quit leading me into temptation. I’m trying to respect your virtue here.”
“My virtue can take a long jump off a short fucking bridge.”
“That might be. But... if we end up taking that jump. I want it to be special. That’s important. I wantyouto feel special.”
Blood rushed to his ears. “Funny, I feel the same way about you.”
“Then we’re in agreement and I’m leaving.” A wicked gleam entered her gaze. “But while you wait for my call, slip into something more comfortable.”
“Like?”
